Ghostly Love
by thedasilverthorn
Summary: Debby uproots and moves to New Orleans, LA to start her life over. She expects new things, but gets so much more than that.
1. Chapter 1

Ghostly Love

Debby was a quiet girl, mostly kept to herself. She loved her horses and her cats; and was a photographer by day and paranormal investigator by night. She loved her life. Even though there were not many people she could rely on in her life.

She had been through a lot in her twenty seven years on this planet. Most of which she did not like to talk about. She had only a grandmother left and no friends, with the exception of the people who owned the horses she took care of. She had grown up in the state of Ohio, spending as much time as she could traveling. She had grown tired of living in Ohio. She made the decision to move, and far away.

She initially considered Nashville, or somewhere else in Tennessee. Though every attempt to move there had failed miserably. She finally came to the conclusion that she was not supposed to be there. Every attempt at finding housing failed. Trying to find somewhere for her grandmother proved to be even more difficult. So she changed her mind and set her sights on the Crescent City, New Orleans.

It had been another city in which she had fallen in love with on her travels, but hadn't seriously considered living there prior to this. She had always thought it would be too difficult with all the hurricanes that came though the area. But now nothing was holding her back and the thought of hurricanes was just that, a thought. It did not matter anymore. She had made her mind up; New Orleans was to be her new home.

Debby had a good amount of money already saved up for moving to Tennessee but New Orleans was a lot farther so she needed to save a good deal more. It took her a little over a year to save. Debby also had to pack up her grandmother and put her house on the market in Ohio. Doing as many repairs as she could herself, she spent each day working, packing and painting to make sure things went they way she wanted this time. She scoured every website possible to look for housing all over the city for not only her but her grandmother as well. Though her grandmother needed more specialized care as she had some health problems.

An assisted living was the first piece of the puzzle to fall into place. Charming Horses Assisted Living was the perfect spot for her grandmother, and the name called to Debby. It had all the care Debby's grandmother needed and fit the budget they had. The house had sold to someone they both knew so the house was staying in good hands. The final step was finding a place for herself. She had her heart set on the French Quarter or the Garden District but finding something to fit her budget in either proved to be difficult.

Finally, something came through for Debby. She had joined a "NOLA For Rent" Facebook page and initially thought was a waste of time. There was a girl on there who had an apartment over the Toulouse Dive Bar, on Toulouse Street in the Quarter. There was a room with a private bath available for a great price. Debby thought there had to be a catch so she grilled the owner about it. The only downside to it from what she could gather was that it was over the bar and people found it too noisy. To Debby, that did not matter. So she set up a meeting with the girl who owned it. She had to move her grandmother into the assisted living anyway, so she made the appointment and hoped it wasn't roach infested.

She rented the Uhaul, packed her grandmother up, and they set off for the Big Easy. They had to stop every few hours for her grandmother to stretch but finally made it. After getting her grandmother set up at Charming Horses, she rented a bed at the hostel she favored in the city, India House in Mid City and went to take a nap before meeting with the owner of the apartment she was looking at.

After her nap she decided to shower and try to look as good as she thought she could. Looks were always a part of the first impression and she wanted it to be a good one. She pulled out a pair of tight black jeans, pairing it with a black and purple brocade corset and heeled black leather boots. Her hair was almost to her rear, and a beautiful shade of purple. She decided to pull it into a sideways braid. After applying a quick coat of eyeshadow and mascara, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

Debby had agreed to meet the girl who owned the apartment in the bar below it. All she knew was that her name was Amy and that the bartender would know who she was. When Debby arrived at the Toulouse Dive Bar, she went straight to the bar and asked for Amy. She did not expect what she got. Amy turned out to be not only the apartments owner but the owner of the bar. Debby and Amy hit it off right away, bonding over horses and paranormal investigating. The apartment was better than Debby imagined. Very spacious and beautifully decorated. There was nothing wrong with it at all, other than being above a bar. They two women went back down to the bar and had a few drinks. After about two hours of talking and laughing, Amy offered not only the apartment but also a job as a bartender, as Ricky, the woman behind the bar tonight, was leaving for LA in two weeks. And to top off the cake, Amy knew a place where Debby could board her horses for next to nothing as well. Just had to pay for their hay, grain and supplements.

Debby decided to take both. She told Amy that it would be at least a week for her to gather her things, make sure her horses were set to travel and be back in NOLA permanently. Amy said that was not a problem, and to take all the time she needed. Debby was absolutely elated. Everything had panned out. She was officially going to be living in New Orleans. She knew now this was were she was supposed to be. She flew back to Ohio to start packing for the rest of her life.


	2. Chapter 2

It took Debby a few days to make sure she had everything packed for the apartment and to make sure she had everything she needed for her horses. She enlisted the help of her boss, Mike and his wife Roxy. They would be driving the trailer with the horses down. They were the only two people she trusted with the lives of her horses on such a long journey. Debby rented another Uhaul and loaded it up with all of her things. She then drove to the farm to help load her boys onto the trailer as well as their tack and miscellaneous items. Then they all set off for their new home.

It was a very long and arduous journey but they finally made it. The three of them met Amy at a farm not far outside of NOLA. There were three stalls waiting, already bedded and ready to go. Debby unloaded each of her horses: Ducky, Winnie, and Nash. They were unsure of their surroundings and understandably nervous at first but settled in eventually. The farm was very nice. Newly renovated barn, indoor and outdoor arenas, and lots of pasture space. Once Debby was satisfied the boys would be ok, and had all the tack unpacked, she left to unpack her belongings at the apartment. Mike and Roxy left the trailer at the farm overnight and went with Debby to the city to help her unpack.

When they all got to the apartment, Amy handed over the keys officially and said, "Welcome home dear. We will start you training in a few days, once you are settled in." Debby just simply said, "Thank you." They parted ways and Debby started unpacking her belongings with the help of Mike and Roxy. Once everything was done, they all decided to go out to dinner. Debby wanted to find a budget place, while Mike and Roxy wanted to splurge. They chose Antoines over on St. Louis Street. Debby tried fighting them but eventually gave in. It turned out to be a fantastic night of laughter and delicious food. "You really weren't kidding when you said New Orleans had the best food," said Roxy. "Yeah even I am enjoying it," Mike remarked. "Well then, if Mike likes it, you know it must be good," Roxy retorted. "Yes, the food in this city is absolutely amazing," Debby said.

What the three of them did not know was that there was another table off in the corner of the restaurant watching. One of the men at the table remarked "She sure is beautiful. But there is no way I stand a chance with someone like her." "Aaron, of course you do! You have every chance with her," said one of his friends, Ashley. Ashley's husband Jay followed up with, "Ash is right dude. You definitely have a chance with her." "I don't know guys, I mean I'm not Zak or anything..." Aaron lamented. "Oh come on man," said another friend Billy, "So you aren't muscled out and have all the girls hanging on your every word. You have a lot more to offer!" "HEY! I am right here," said Zak. "Well it's true Z. Aaron is a lot more romantic and has a real sense of connection and love than you do. You like the conquest of it, he just wants to find love and settle down," Ashley says. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Zak replies. "Well I can't do it. Maybe I can see if my sister can hook me up with someone more in my league. She said there is this new girl at the bar. Maybe I will give that a shot," says an almost defeated Aaron.

All while this is happening, Debby, Mike and Roxy continue their meal. When they are finished, they decide to go for a drink. Mike and Roxy have never tried absinthe and expressed interest. "Well I know exactly where to go then," Debby exclaims, "Off to the Absinthe House."


	3. Chapter 3

As they approached the Absinthe House, Debby could feel someone watching her but whenever she turned around there was no one out of the ordinary there. Mike and Roxy both expressed concern but didn't see anything fishy either. They had arrived at the Absinthe House. As they walked inside, Mike and Roxy were in awe of the place. "It's smaller than I thought, but still quite amazing!" exclaimed Roxy. Mike just nodded in agreement. They found three seats at the bar and placed their order. Debby ordered the Mata Hari, an Austrian absinthe while Mike and Roxy just got the house absinthe from France. They thought the process of pouring the absinthe was fantastic. Then came the true test, tasting it. Turns out, Mike and Roxy loved it. "I might be hooked on this stuff now," said Mike. "Yeah, this could be dangerous," Roxy claimed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have loved it since my first taste all those years ago," Debby said with a smile. They sat and talked for a while before Mike and Roxy departed for their hotel and Debby went back home. As she walked into her new apartment in the Historic French Quarter, she couldn't help but feel happy and finally at home.

The next morning, Debby had to pinch herself when she awoke. As she stood up and looked out her window and saw the Quarter below she realized she wasn't dreaming and she was really living in the Quarter. She went into the kitchen to make some coffee. Not too much later her phone rings, around 9am. "Hey girl! How was it waking up in your own apartment in New Orleans?" asked Amy. :Great! I had to pinch myself to make sure it was real," Debby chuckled. "Awesome! Well how does 2PM work for you to start your training at the bar? I have a feeling that you will pick up everything very quickly," Amy stated. "That sounds perfect! I need to go get some groceries and some other necessities for the apartment, so that gives me plenty of time! Is there a specific dress code y'all have there?" asked Debby. "Nah, just do you. Wear whatever you want. We are proud of all of our employees and who they are as people and their diversity!" Amy retorted. "Perfect! I have a feeling this will be a most perfect fit!" exclaimed Debby. "Oh and by the way, I kind of told my brother about you. He needs a real girl who isn't going to use him and I think you'd be perfect," Amy threw in at the last second. "Um, ok, I guess," said a confused Debby, "Wouldn't hurt. And I mean, he is your brother, so he can't be all bad." "Nope, I think you two will hit it off quite nicely. You think you could meet for lunch around noon with him?" asked Amy. "Yeah, that should work. Where at?" said Debby. "Cafe Maspero?" "Perfect. I will be there!" "Awesome! See you around 2 at the bar then!" "For sure!"

Oh crap, she thought to herself. Debby was nervous. She hadn't been on a real date in a while. She had kind of swore off men after her last breakup. She immediately jumped in the shower and rifled through her clothes to find something to wear that she could go run errands in AND meet Amy's brother in. She finally decided on a pair of shorts with jeweled pockets, a black TRON racer back tank top and a pair of purple chucks. She pulled her long purple hair into a messy bun, threw on a little black eyeliner and mascara and headed out the door. Debby used to be into the whole face deal when it came to makeup but the older she got, the less she used. She grabbed her wallet, shoved it in her back pocket, put her phone in the other, grabbed her keys and headed out the door.

Her first stop was the French Market to pick up some fresh produce and veggies. And a nice smoothie with a little rum in it to kick start her day. She dropped those bags off at home and headed back out the the local grocer to get the other things she couldn't get at the market. She dropped all that off at the apartment and as she was walking out the door, she glanced at the clock. It was only 11AM. Damn, she thought to herself, I have some time to kill. She she grabbed her camera and just moseyed through the Quarter shooting anything that caught her eye. She glanced back at her watch a bit later, and it read 11:40AM. She headed over to Cafe Maspero. Amy had texted her and said to look for a taller guy with a bald head and gotee wearing a simple black tee and jeans. When Debby got there she looked around and saw a guy that fit that description. She walked up to him. "Hi, are you Amy's brother?" she asked. "Yeah," he said smiling, "My name is Aaron."


	4. Chapter 4

Aaron was very cute. Not in a model sort of way, but a way she just couldn't put her finger on. There was something so intriguing and beautiful about him she was instantly drawn to him. "Hey, I'm Debby." she said smiling back at him. Aaron couldn't believe who he saw standing in front of him. It was the girl from the restaurant the previous night. He thought to himself, he better now screw this up. He had been given a chance with her and he intended to make it work at all costs. "It's nice to finally meet you. My sister has talked a lot about you," he said to her. "Well then," she said laughing, "I hope it's all been good." "Of course, she couldn't bad mouth anyone, well, there is one exception but you aren't him so you're good." "Okay then. Shall we?" She asked. "Yes, I haven't eaten here yet but heard it's pretty good." "Yeah, the muffaletta is to die for," she told him. "You've been here before?" "Once. Glad to be back." They sat down and placed their order.

Every time Debby looked at Aaron, she caught him just staring at her. "You ok?" she asked. "Yeah, well, I have a confession," he said. A little scared she just stared at him. "I was at Antoines the other night with some friends and saw you from across the restaurant. I wanted so bad to say something to you but I was scared. I honestly felt like you were out of my league." Debby almost spit out her water, "What!? That is so far from true!" she exclaimed! Now it was his turn to just stare. "I have a confession too. I didn't put two and two together at first, but when I first met your sister I thought there was something familiar about her but it never clicked. When I saw you standing there today, it all came together. I have watched GAC for years. This is honestly a little overwhelming now that I really know who y'all are." Debby confessed. "Wait, what!? You know us?" Aaron asked. "Well, I didn't recognize Amy right off the bat, not really one of those stalker fan girls," she chuckled, "But I definitely recognized you outside the restaurant today. Oh and by the way, you were always my favorite." "Were?" he said quizzically. "Well, know I actually know you so just being a fan kind of falls by the wayside, especially if something comes of this." "Yeah, I guess you're right," he laughed, "Well, here goes nothing." He raised his glass for a toast. Debby raised hers, "Here's to new beginnings."

They laughed and talked till Debby looked down at her watch and saw it was almost 2. "Oh crap! I have to be at the bar soon for training!" she exclaimed. "I'll walk you there, I have to thank my sister for this anyway," Aaron said back. All Debby could do was smile. He offered his hand as they were walking out of the restaurant, and she took it. The walked back to the bar hand in hand. When Amy saw them coming down the street, she smiled to herself. It was about time Aaron found someone who was real and could just "get" him. "Well it looks like you two hit it off," she said to the two of them. "Yeah, we did Ames. I can't thank you enough for this, I was nervous but she is so great," he gushed. "Well, not that great, I didn't even recognize your sister, and we even talked ghosts!" she laughed. "That was the first thing that made me think you'd be good for him, then everything else just fell into place. You two have so much in common it was just right." "Thank you Amy, I had forgotten how a real man acts. Been around so many losers." "Glad to be of help. Now lets get this training out of the way so we can get you on the schedule!" Amy said. "I have to go check on a few things, but I will be back in a little bit," said Aaron, giving Debby a quick kiss. "Ok," she said softly. "All right lover girl, lets go." And off they went to start training.


End file.
